Your Travel Questions: Answered Here

[ellisonz]

This discussion thread is pinned.

Please use this thread as a compendium resource for any questions you may have about visiting in the fair islands. I'm sure DU Hawaii residents and those with roots in the Islands would be *more than happy* to help you plan a trip to the Islands of Hawaii.

Some Useful Websites:

Hawaii Tourism Authority's Website for Visitors: http://www.gohawaii.com/
Hawaii State Parks: http://hawaiistateparks.org/
Department of Agriculture Guidelines (Important): http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/Info/doa_importing/traveler
Common Hawaiian Words and Phrases (with Audio - there's something going on with it, just refresh every time): http://hawaiian-words.com/common/
Lonely Plant Hawaii: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/hawaii
Wikitravel Hawaii: http://wikitravel.org/en/Hawaii
Honolulu International Airport: http://hawaii.gov/hnl/
Cruise Ship Information for Honolulu (including transit!): http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=96
The Bus (Oahu): http://thebus.org/

Aloha!

[ellisonz]

1. Some Videos on Pidgin

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Hello, Islanders!

I'm attending a translators' conference in Honolulu in June, and since I was able to book my flight to Honolulu using miles and because the conference organizers got an excellent deal on hotel rooms, I have enough money left over to visit another island.

On two occasions many years ago, I spent summer sessions at UH-Manoa, and I visited the Big Island the first time and Kauai the second time. Loved both of them.

This time I'm going to Maui. I'm scheduled to fly out to Kahului a couple of hours after arriving in Honolulu (5/27) and then back to Honolulu for the conference on 5/30. Then I'm staying on Oahu till I take a red eye out of Honolulu back to the mainland on the night of 6/4.

I've got a Maui guidebook, and I've done some online searching, but I'm having trouble deciding where to stay on Maui. Since I'll be solo, I'd prefer to stay in a bed and breakfast or a small hotel rather than in a beach condo complex full of honeymooners. However, all the places I've looked at seem to have real "red flag" reviews on Trip Advisor.

I'm sure that some of you are from Maui or have weekended there. Do you have any recommendations?

Also, I'd love to meet some Hawaii DUers while I'm in the neighborhood. Would any of you be free for lunch or drinks?

[ellisonz]

3. Gah! I just realized I had forgotten to respond to this!

Fortunately, your conference is in June! Lucky you go Hawaii! I'm stuck here in Southern California at the moment - miss the Islands!

This is the other Maui travel thread we had: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1047319 - To my knowledge PoiBoy is the only Maui-based DU member but he has posted since November. You should PM him, he's likely to check in before June. NYC_SKP probably has some great tips though!

I hear good things about Paia on the north shore and about the south shore area, but I think that's mostly resorts. I've only been to Kahului briefly and that didn't seem to be the happening spot.

I know Oahu like the back of my hand though! Aloha.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Since posting, I've made a reservation at a B&B in Kihei that my brother and sister-in-law

stayed at. It gets good reviews, so I'm hopeful.

I'll be on Maui May 27-30 and in Honolulu May 31-June 4.

[FSogol]

5. I'll be in Maui next week for 7 days. What are the places I shouldn't miss?

Miss? I've been studying guidebooks, but could use some advice. Would like to go on some hikes, see some unusual places, snorkel or sea kayak. What are your favorites? Any Luals you'd recommend? TIA